Apparatus for curing meat.



E. RAWSON. APPARATUS FOR CURING MEAT-- APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1912.

Patented Aug. 19, 1913.

II In -\..1

9522255555; M f z pickling liquor,

HEI) STTES r TNT -ric."

EDWARD RAWSON, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR CURING MEAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

companies this application and forms a part thereof.

' This invention concerns means and devices used in connection with thecuring of meat products more particularly pork andwhere the treatmentmvolves the use of a preserving or pickling liquor.

Under methods in vogue now, ing effected by saturation with an absorbedit requires from three to four months to reach the stage which permitssmoking of the meat.

' The aim of my invention is to shorten this time, so that curin may beaccomplished in about one third of the time now required, giving at thesame time better results. For such purpose and instead of relying merelyupon absorption to obtain saturation of the incorporate one with theother,

meat with pickling liquor, I use hydraulic pressure to force the liquorintothe cells of curing bethe meat and I also manipulate the liquor in amanner to produce a mechanically induced osmotic action whereby thenatural juices of the meat, instead of being drawn out as for instancein the case of curing with dry salt or in processes involving the use ofa vacuum, are retained and charged with the pickling liquor, so thatboth thoroughly whereby the savor of the pickling-liquor is caused topenetrate all parts of the meat. The method of treating suchmeat-products in this manner is'more specifically'de'scribed in myPatent,,-.No. 1,033,269, 1t consisting substantially of subjecting theseproducts to the action of m pickling-liquor while'said liquor is causedto assume changed-conditions as to pressure and movement. Theseconditions consist of aseries of periods during which the liquorcirculates with reference'to the meat and which periods alternate withperiods during is at rest, the pressure of which the liquor during theselatthe liquor being changed ter periods.

The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus constructed in acertain man- Patented Aug. toners;

Application filed July 20, 1912. Serial No. 710,558.

sible and to permit the intended treatment to be carried out to the bestpossible advantage.

In the following specification and particularly pointed out in theclaims at the end thereof, will be found a full description of n'1yinvention, together with its operation, parts and construction, whichlatter-is also which shows my improved apparatus in a dlagrammaticalside view.

Numeral 1, in this view indicates-a retreated, hams for instance, andthe curing liquor used in connection therewith. The size of thisreceptacle depends upon capacity of the establishment and since economyresults from handlin large lots at once, it should be arrangedaccordingly. A size permitting the handling of car-load lots, about30,000 pounds, is advisable. Its strength should be suflicient to standthe pressures hereafter mentioned for which purpose a cylindricaltank-form is most desirable. O enings to permit charging and removal 0the contents are provided and preferably obtained by leaving the ends ofthe tank open. By placing the same in an upright position meat may -becharged into it from an upper floor and removal may be had on a lowerfloor: Caps are provided, one designated by 2, for the inlet-end, andanother one 3, for the outlet-end and means are added whereby these capsmay be securely closed.

4 designates a stand-pipe which communicates with the tank near bothends thereof by branches 5 and 6. It is intended to receive brine andserves as a supplementary receiver to tank 1.

7 designates a fill-pipe through which the curing liquor is supplied tothe apparatus.

8 designates a circulating pump placed in a suitable position permittingit to be used for the purpose of moving the liquor within the-apparatus,it being inserted for the purpose, or cut-in, in the lower branch 6.

Operations are started by filling the tank with meat and liquor, theformer being placed carefully so as to prevent it from being bruised.The meat before being placed in the tank must be thoroughly chilled tothe bone and hams and joints are pumped in the usual manner, thatispickle is injected ,with the needle into the shanks and ner to make theaforesaid manipulation pos- I ceptacl-e intended to receive the meat tobe illustrated in the accompanying drawing,

same near the veil or diaphragm between fat and lean, also in theknuckle-j oints, the object maintained for hours, night, after whichthepressure is relieved being toreach andcharge the deeper situatedcells and particularly those around the bone quicker than wouldotherwise be possible and for other reasons to be presently explained.

Sufficient liquor is supplied so as to fill the tank which is closedbelow, any surplus passing over \into stand-pipe 4. Thereafter a valve 9controlling supply-pipe 7 is closed and with fully open communicationbetween tank 1 and pipe 4 at both branches 5 and 6, operation of pump 8is started, whereby the pickle is caused to freely circulate upwardlythrough the tank .and between the meat. By means of this circulation,maintained for from five to ten hours, equal treatment of allexteriorsurfaces is obtained and adherence of the hams to each other anddiscoloration is prevented. After this the operation of circulating pump8 is stopped and valves 10 .and 11, provided respectively in branches 5and 6 are closed, cutting off the tank from the stand-pipe. Additionalliquor is now forced into the completely closed tank until the pressuretherein is raised to about 100 pounds, more or less. A force pump 12 isused for this purpose which is connected to the fill-pipe b means ofbranches 13 and 14 both arrange in a manner to by-pass valve 9, torender the action of said pump independent of control by valve 9. Acheckvalve 15, provided in branch 14 serves to hold the pressure, valve9 remaining closed of course. This condition of pressure is it may beduring the by reestablishing communication with 'the stand-pipe andcirculation is caused to re sume by -starting up pump 8. Another periodof maintenance under pressure follows, the proper valves beingmanipulated asmay now be readily understood. The curing'of the meat maynow be completed according to my method, or to one involving asubstantially similar manipulation of the liquor and consisting ofperiods during which the liquor circulates, alternating with periodsduring which it is maintained under pressure, which pressure may bevaried. These alternating changes in the pressure of the liquor causethecells of the meat'to alternately expand and contract, thus favoring athorough saturation with the pickling liquor.

The previously mentioned preparatory injection of brine applied beforethe meat is placed in the tank, prevents meat 'uice's from being driveninto the deeper lying cells ahead of the pressure-forced brine andavoids formation of joint-water around the bones. Thus as will be seen,the action upon the meat cells and pores, to render them resure thereinis to be reduced this is influenced to some extent obtained by action ofthe force-pump;

.as to cause it to pass from one into ceptive to brine, is obtained bythe purely mechanical pumping-action of the liquor which alternatelyopens and closes these cells andbrings them in intimate contact with thebrine without withdrawing the essential meat-juices. The liquor needonly be of moderate strengthand a mild salt and sugar pickle of not over16 to 18 degrees salometer test produces the desired results.

Theentire process is carried on in a closed conduit and no deteriorationof the liquor results by exposure to air, or from contact with theinside of the tank which, by coat-' ing or otherwise, is arrangedaccordingly. The same liquor may be re-used for some time, any decreasebeing replenished by fresh liquor. The meat is removed throughthe lowerend, cap 3 being gradually opened,.the

liquor having first been drawn ofi' into a tank 16 by means of a pipe17. In re-filling tank 1, the liquor from tank 16 may be used first,being raised by means of pump 8, through a pipe 18. Later duringcirculation said tank is preferably cut out, valves '19Iand 20 beingprovided for the purpose.

This tank may also be used to receive surplusliquor from tank 1 wheneverthe presduring the circulation periods. The times given for the durationof the treatment depend somewhat on the size of the pieces andmaybe-varied accordingly. In large establishments the process may becarried on continuously, a number of tanks being arranged in batterieswhich may be operated with one. pumping The arrangement and positioningof pipes, supply-tanks, valves, pumps, varied more or les sfrom thatshown, since by existing conditions as controlled by location ofbuildings, height of stories, etc.

Having described my invention, I claim as new:

' 1. An apparatus for curing meat consist- .ing of a receiver adapted tocontain meat and curing-liquor, stand-pipe forming a supplementarybrine-receiver for the receiver first mentloned, branches for connectingthe two near their ends, valves to control communication through thesebranches, a circulating pump" connected to one of these branches and aforce-pump in communication with the receiver first mentioned.- 2. Anapparatus for curing meat consisting of a receiver adapted to containmeat and curing-liquor, stand-pipe forming a sup-- plementary brinereceiver in controllable communication with-the first receiver at bothends thereof, a tank in communication with both. and means to manipulatethe liquor so the other and in and out of the connected parts.

3. An apparatus for curing meat.- which consists of a tank adapted toreceive meat etc., may be and curing-liquor, a charging-pipe for this Intestimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my tank, a forcg-pump in connectklmwith this signature in the presence of two witnesses. )i )e, a stan i ein controlla-b e communi- T ia tion with tl ie tank at both ends thereofLDVARD 5 and means to cause the liquor in the tank Witnesses:

to circulate through the tank and through C. SPENGEL, the stand-pipe. T.LE BEAU.

